For Luis Somoano, diversification is the key to success.
His new state of the art Lincoln dealership at Quail Roost Drive and South Dixie Highway will be open in two months. He says the 10-acre property will be “spectacular.” That is no small goal when you consider Somoano’s track record, so far.
His Lincoln dealership in Doral is the first in volume in the Southeast of the United States for eight years running. It is also No. 4 in the U.S. for volume sold for the third year in a row. Hispanics, which make up about 85 percent of Doral, have fueled this success.
Somoano bought the property in 2008, at a time when financial markets were collapsing. He saw things differently.
“Where people saw the end of the world, I saw opportunity,” he says. “We were soon selling 100 cars a month, while the prior owner was selling 20 cars a month.”
Somoano took on the Lincoln brand when it was struggling to transition its appeal to a wider audience. Together, they consolidated the Miami market, with him benefiting from a wave of demand for parts and service. He said Lincoln has benefited greatly from its investment in marketing, which includes a series of commercials with highly popular actor Matthew McConaughey. The brand now communicates modern cool, class and status combined with innovative technology.
Somoano says that change is important, but his master class on car sales would focus on a tried-and-true concept – combine excellent customer service with a great location.
At the start of this year, Somoano repeated the success of his Doral property in South Miami-Dade by diversifying his customer base.
The bulk of the foot traffic at his Ford dealership, at 15501 S. Dixie Hwy., which he took over in March of this year, are Anglo-Americans. Under his leadership, sales have climbed substantially to 300 cars per month. For Somoano, his Ford dealership’s success is spurred in part by the brand, which he says is one of the most valued and iconic in the country. He also points to Ford’s cutting edge reinvestment strategy, which is focused on autonomous and electric cars.
He has planned carefully to continue that momentum into the new Lincoln property. For Somoano, who takes great pride in the fact that his two daughters are the foundation of the family business, nothing is better than his hands-on approach to sales.
“I like retail because you can control your destiny,” he says.
